F. J. McCormick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids F.J.McCormick
publicity still for Odd Man Out (1947)
Born	Peter Judge (1890-06-01)1 June 1890 Skerries, Ireland
Died	24 April 1947(1947-04-24) (aged 56) Dublin, Ireland
Occupation	Actor
Spouse(s)	Eileen Crowe

F. J. McCormick (whose real name was Peter Christopher Judge) was an Irish actor. He was born on June 1, 1890, in Skerries, Ireland, and passed away on April 24, 1947, in Dublin, Ireland. He became very famous for his acting at Dublin's Abbey Theatre. He chose the stage name F. J. McCormick to keep his acting career a secret from his family and employers. He joined the Abbey Theatre when he was 19 and performed in about 500 plays there. He is especially remembered for his roles in plays by Seán O'Casey.

Early Life and Family

Peter Judge, later known as F. J. McCormick, spent his early years in Skerries. When he was about 10 years old, he moved to Dublin. He lived there for most of his life. He went to school in Skerries for his primary education.

His father, Michael Judge, worked with malt and later managed a brewery. McCormick was not very tall, but he had "expressive eyes" and thick brown hair. As a young man, he started writing articles for newspapers. He briefly worked as a post office clerk in London. However, he soon returned to Dublin to work as a junior clerk in the Civil Service. In 1918, he decided to leave his government job. He chose to become a full-time actor at the Abbey Theatre.

McCormick's mother died when he was only two years old. He described his childhood in Skerries as "a very happy one." On December 2, 1925, he married Eileen Crowe in Rathdown. They had met at the Abbey Theatre, where Eileen was also an actor. They had two children, a son named David and a daughter named Marie.

Acting Career

McCormick as Joxer in Juno and the Paycock, depicted in stained glass by Harry Clarke

After a short time in London, McCormick came back to Dublin. He worked for the government but also took on acting roles. He performed at the Workmen's Club and the Queen's Theatre, Dublin. It was at the Queen's Theatre that he first used his stage name, F. J. McCormick. By May 1919, he was playing a main role at the Abbey Theatre.

McCormick performed in more than 500 plays at the Abbey Theatre. He became very well-known for his roles in plays by Sean O'Casey. From 1923 to 1925, he also worked as the stage manager at the Abbey. O'Casey himself praised McCormick's acting. He said that McCormick made the character Seumus Shields in The Shadow of a Gunman even better than O'Casey had written him.

McCormick also acted in films. He played Captain Brennan in the movie version of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars. But it was his role as Shell in Carol Reed's film Odd Man Out (1947) that brought him a lot of praise. The Irish Times newspaper said his acting was "quite outstanding." The Times of London also noted his amazing performance.

In another film from 1947, Hungry Hill, McCormick played a butler. The New York Times called his performance "truly magnificent." They said he showed Irish character even more subtly than in Odd Man Out.

Later Life and Passing

McCormick's grave, Deansgrange cemetery, Dublin

In the last five years of his life, McCormick continued to work at the Abbey Theatre. He acted in over 70 plays during this time. In his final year, he starred in one play called They Got What They Wanted. He also got more leading roles in the film industry.

F. J. McCormick passed away on April 24, 1947, in Dublin. He was 56 years old and died from a brain tumour. He is buried in Deansgrange cemetery in Blackrock. He kept working right up until his death.

Many people believed he was one of the greatest actors of his time. This is because of his work in 500 plays and 4 films. A year after McCormick's death, in 1948, the famous actor Barry Fitzgerald said that only two other actors had McCormick's special gift: Charles Laughton and Charlie Chaplin.

Legacy and Impact

F. J. McCormick was part of many popular plays and films that are still remembered today. For example, he played Fluther Good in the original 1926 production of The Plough and the Stars. Later, he played a different role, Captain Brennan, in the same play when it was performed in the United States. Gabriel Fallon, a writer, remembered McCormick as both a great actor and a great person.

People say he was one of the most flexible actors of his generation. His early death was a big loss for Irish arts, especially for the Abbey Theatre, where he did most of his work.

Film Roles